Ak drums

So I've been wanting to pick up a drum for awhile now. Problem is, I don't know which one. I've seen the Korean drums and they look cheap and looks like they wouldn't hold up to abuse. Online reviews seems to be mixed. The Romanian drum has mixed reviews also and if I understand correctly are a top load only. The Chinese drums seem to have a lot of good reviews. But, the reviews ive seen are all from years ago.

So, can someone please explain to me which is a quality drum to buy these days?

I have 2 of the Romanian drums, both styles. The Chinese style stays in the safe loaded and ready to go, just 4 cranks and it's ready. The other I don't keep loaded. The Chinese style has the advantage you can keep it loaded and the spring not under tension, not so with the top load one. The top load one is better quality though, but I've had no issues with either one. I got them both from Copes,, great folks there!!! Just remember that there 5.5 lbs when loaded!! PHEWW!!! Wouldn't want to haul that around all day! There a blast though if you want to play. 2 Of my friends have the Korean ones and both don't have all that much good to say about them, I gather they tend to jam some,,duno for sure,, just hear say.

The top load one is a bit of a pain to load till you get the knack down, but not really to bad when you master it. There is a knack to it, and it takes some practice to get it loaded with-in a month of Sundays till you get it right!!

I like the Chinese drums like twa says.. Think I have about a dozen in the room.
Pre, pre ban on the Chinese stuff. Hell they were selling Chinese AKs at the fun shows for like $110.
If you bought two AKs you got a free drum and half price lunch at the Chinese restaurant of your choice. No idea what they sell for now?

"Man needs but two things to survive alone in the woods. A blow up female doll and his trusty old AK-47" - Thomas Jefferson 1781

The Chinese and the Romy copies of the Chinese are back loading, and you don't have to have all the spring tension on them. Then you have the Romy top loader that does hold tension and is a pain to load. To me the only reason for a Romy top load is if you want your Romy RPK to have an original style drum. Other than that, the Chinese and Romy back loaders are the way to go. Stay away from the Korean copies, they're junk!!!!!!!!!

Enforcement, NOT Amnesty!!!!!!

"If they’re going to come here illegally, apply for & receive assistance through a corrupted Government agency encouraging this lawless behavior, work under the table & send billions of dollars each year back to their families in Mexico, while bleeding local economies dry, protest in our streets waving their Mexican flags DEMANDING rights, while I have to press ’1′ for English, then they need to be shipped back to where they came from!" -Chad Miller

Great advice guys! I have looked into the Chinese drums and they seem to be big $$$ these days. I figured the Korean drums were junk as I have some Korean mags and their not as well built as my other surplus euro mags.

And yes, I had thought about the weight issue of a loaded drum and figured I'd use it mostly when I use a bipod for shooting.

Last weekend at the Lakeland Gun show the Chinese drums were $200.00 + the Korean junk were $150.00 and lower. I spent $267.00 for 5000 large rifle primers they were the only one's in town.

"The two enemies of the people are criminals and goverment, so let us tie the second down with the chains of the Constitution so that the second will not become the legal version of the first" ~ Thomas Jefferson

Century has the new Romi's in stock,, the Chinese style,, for 149.87 and that seems to be what they are most places I've seen them at now. Somewhat spendy,,, but hell when ya stop and think of it ,,,,,

IT'LL COST DAMN NEAR 30-40 BUCKS TO FILL IT UP EACH TIME,,,,,, OR MORE,, NOW DAYS!!!! IF YOU CAN EVEN FIND IT,,,,, GEZZZZZ!!!! Used to buy a cases in volume for that!

Damn ammo prices,,,,

I got both mine @ Copes,, did you check them? If I remember I got both of mine for <100 before the panic, I even think I got the top loader for, I think 79.00 on sale there at that time.

APEX has both the top loader & the back loading Romanian drums in stock.
The top loaders are Russian Military designed and are definitely built to take a lot of field use!
I have a CETME cocking handle that I use for additional lift on the loading lever.
The "clock" spring used in the toploader magazines is a lot sturdier than the spring in the back loaders. When you take the back off the drum to clean it you will see the difference.
The steel used in the magazine drum body is also a heavier guage.
The Russians designed the toploader drums to be loaded with 75 rounds at the base and carried into combat ready to be used in their RPK machine guns.
I believe the Romanians are the only other country to produce them, as they were the second largest European source for AK rifles with the Russians being number 1.